Audio tape : Lithuanian folk music (part 1) - Kanklės

Tape: Lithuanian folk music (part 1) - Kanklės. Originals recordings of the 1935-1937 years from the collections of the Folklore Archive of the Lithuanian Institute of Literature and Folklore. Price $8.00 (exluding cost of mail).

About the tape: Lithuanian folk music (part 1) - Kanklės.

The folk players of North Eastern Aukštaitija (J. Plepys, P. Lapienė) were the old men usually performing in their homes. The repertoire consists of vocal sutartinė (the old contrapunctal folk songs). The second finger (with its nail) of the right hand is used for plucking the chords and the fingers of the left hand are used to silence the chords by covering every string separately with a finger. Playing traditions on the five - stringed kanklės have disappeared in the middle of 20th century.

The performers of Western Aukštaitija (K. Masaitis), Žemaitija (S. Abromavičius, B. Brazinskas) and Suvalkija (P. Puskunigis, S. Popiera) on the nine and twelve - stringed kanklės played the homophonical folk songs, dances and improvisations. The second finger of the right hand (or plectrum) is also using for plucking the chords, but four fingers of the left hand cover the chords which are needless for sounding. J. Jaunzemis was playing using the fingers of both hands. The players were also the old men, but they were performing not only in their homes. The kanklės were used as instruments for ritual holidays and entertainments. The playing traditions are still continued.